08 January 2002: Just as the first Formule 1 in Japan opens its doors in Isesaki, Gunma Prefecture north-west of Tokyo, Accor will begin construction of a second Formule 1 in Japan at Numazu, in the heart of the high-technology industrial area of Shizuoka Prefecture, 140 km west of Tokyo.
The second Formule 1 is expected to open in July with 92 rooms and highlights Accor's aim to rapidly expand the budget brand in Japan.
In addition to being a major business centre, the area is surrounded by many of Japan's most famous tourist attractions, including Mount Fuji and Izu Peninsula, making it a popular location for leisure travellers.
Like all Formule 1s, the F1 Numazu is located on a prominent highway, running through Shizuoka, and is serviced by well-developed transport infrastructure including the Shinkansen Bullet Train and the Tomei Expressway.
As the first Asian country in which we've introduced Formule 1, Japan is an important part of our global expansion, said Michael Issenberg, Accor's Managing Director for Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the South Pacific. Numazu is the perfect location for a Formule 1, being on a key arterial route close to major industrial and tourist areas.
The new hotel will feature two concept rooms that will give guests a taste of the future of Formule 1, with the new rooms boasting different bathroom designs and new construction techniques and materials.
Mr Rodolphe Belin, Accor's General Manager Economy Hotels, said that Formule 1 was set to change the face of the budget hotel market in Japan, with Australian know-how being utilised extensively for its development.
Our main objective in developing Formule 1 in Japan was to be able to offer the highest quality standards at the lowest possible rate, said Mr Belin. However, with the cost of land and materials in Japan this has proven to be a major challenge, but one that we have overcome by importing much of the hotel's furniture and fittings from Australia. This has helped save on construction costs and we can now ensure that rates will be kept at around Yen 5000 (AUD$75) per night.
The launch of Formule 1 owes a great deal to the support of our partners in Japan who helped make it possible to get this development off the ground . We worked particularly closely with Mr Yoshitsugu Shimizu of the Afternoon Society, the Beisia Group in Isesaki and Denny's Japan family restaurant chain . Denny's family restaurant is located next to the Numazu Formule 1.
Formule 1 is Accor's innovative budget hotel brand which promotes the clever concept of functional rooms with a single price for up to three people. There are more than 360 Formule 1 hotels around the world in 11 countries.
With 145,000 employees in 140 countries, Accor is the European leader and one of the world's largest groups in travel, tourism and corporate services, with two major international activities:
* hotels: 3,600 hotels (400,000 rooms) in 90 countries, travel
agencies, restaurants and casinos;
* services to corporate clients and public institutions: each day, 12
million people in 31 countries use a broad range of services (Food Vouchers, People's Care, Expenses Management, Social Services, Incentive / Events) engineered and managed by Accor.
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